An Anchor
by seecore
Summary: Trapped in the rapidly changing world, Sesshoumaru hopes to find the only person, who could help him keep his sanity. One day in his past and her future is all that keeps him from the reunion he is so desperately waiting for.
1. Chapter 1

Sesshoumaru peeked from behind one of the few buildings standing at the Higurashi Shrine.

She was there. Right there.

Once upon a time he would rather kill himself than admit the fact that he, Lord Sesshoumaru, was hiding and spying on someone.

Especially if the someone was a little human girl, a priestess at that. The one, who has been travelling with his stupid half-brother.

But times change. And five hundert years can change even a demon like him.

It was five hundert years since he last saw her. Of course, he could visit her much sooner, but he waited. He knew, what could happen if he showed himself to her.

Even if he wanted to see her, to talk to her, he waited. Waited for the opportunity to talk to somebody, who really knew him. Who knew him as the powerful lord in the times of his glory.

Sure he was still lord, but the title didn't mean anything in this era. And sure he was still powerful, but what good it was, when he couldn't prove that? When he had to hide himself and act like a mortal?

It was completely insane, but he had no other choice. Every demon in this era had to hide their true self. There were no giant beasts running across the sky, giving into their nature and destroying whole villiges with only single swipe of their claws.

Well, he didn't miss killing that much, but he really _did_ miss being free in his true form. Not even fifty years ago, he had benn living in the enticing mountains of Romania, where he could spent some time in his true form. His occasional strolls gave rise to legends of werewolfs. It was kind of funny.

The last twenty or so years he'd lived in Japan, without the possiblity to be truly himself. He desperately wanted to meet someone, who wouldn't respect him only because of his age and heritage, or desire him because of his looks and wealth.

There was only one person, who could help him to stay sane in this terrible age. The person was known for her kindness, as well as her bad temper.

And the person will most probably hate him tomorrow.

His eyes studied the young miko. She was sitting on a bench and sewing, fully concentrated on her task. He felt pang of guilt, one he became accustomed to over the years.

She looked so happy.

A sigh escaped from his slightly parted lips. He could very clearly remember the events that happened five hundert years ago, but from the girl's perspective had yet to happen. The pang was there again, only this time it was ten times stronger. _Was he really that stupid?_

"It's done!" he heard the girl's joyful cry and watched her, as she repeatedly jumped in the air, all the while clutching her masterpiece – deep blue silk sash embroided with silver thread – to her chest. Then she ran home, so she could show the sash to her mother.

When he saw her again, she had her ugly, once upon a time yellow backpack on her little back and sprinted happily to the old well-house, where she vanished.

Sesshoumaru nodded his silver head, turned around and walked off in the near forest (or in the little park that was left of it) knowing that he had exactly one day, before the girl returns. He sat down under an old tree and sighed.

He had been sitting there five hundert years ago, watching Rin running around and squealing. Jaken had occasionally shouted something mean at her, but Sesshoumaru had known even at that time that the old toad was just as happy as the little girl.

They had defeated that scum Naraku at last – once and for all.

Everybody had rejoiced at that. Especially Inuyasha and his little pack.

He'd started to collect some information about them after one of his near death experiences, finally admitting that they could be dangerous. Now he knew everything about the group. The monk, Miroku, had inherited the Wind tunnel from his father. It was a curse Naraku had put on his clan. Of course, the Wind Tunnel wasn't the thing he was so famous for. No, the monk was clearly a letch, his preferred victim being the fiery exterminator.

The monk's right hand was, indeed, cursed.

The exterminator was the next member of the group. For a human, she possesed great deal of physical strength and swiftness, not to mention lot of raw beauty. Her whole clan had been slaughtered because of Naraku's evil plot and her younger brother was forced to became his slave since then. In the end the boy died, but not before the exterminator achieved her revenge. Even so, she had been saddened by her brother's demise.

Then there was the big mouthed kit, who had always played with Rin. The fox had never meant any danger for him, on the contrary, the kit had been quite helpful in keeping his hyperactive ward busy. The little fox hadn't had a family, just like the bigger part of Inuyasha's pack. But then again, they had lost their families just to find a new one. They weren't bound by blood, but by friendship. And the one who had always kept their bonds so strong was no other than the priestess. He'd thought of her as weak, because the other members had always protected her. It wasn't until much later, when he'd joined them in their fight against Naraku, he learned that the priestess wasn't weak, just too precious to her friends.

_Especially to one of them._

Although Inuyasha had been always acting like a jerk (as the priestess kept calling him), Sesshoumaru knew that he'd loved her. Just not the way the girl wanted him to. But he'd never been interested in his stupid younger sibling's love affairs. What he **had** been immensely enjoying were their fights for dominance. Watching his brother landing face first in the dirt was the highlight of their joint journey.

Somewhen during the time, they had been forced to spent together, Sesshoumaru had stopped thinking of his brother as a nuisance. The demon lord pretty much despised him even now, but not as much as before. He still thought that his brother was a fool, when he had given his heart to a mortal **and** kept chasing after her dead body, but he couldn't really blame him for his feelings. Not after he had first hand learned, what it was like to lose someone precious...

It took him almost hundert years to get over the death of Rin, his little, cheerful ward. Too late he learned, that she was the beam of light in his world of darkness. Now she was away – so far away that he couldn't reach her anymore. Jaken couldn't bear the loss and withered away few years after her death. Sesshoumaru had been left alone in the rapidly changing world and since then concentrated all his hope on one reunion.

_And the reunion __shall take place tomorrow.  
_

* * *

A/N: Well, this is not my first story, however, it **is** my first story in English. So if you think I maim English, you are probably right. But I don't do that on purpose, I swear! And next time I will try to do that better. As for the storyline, I thought it would be nice to write something little bit different. If you don't like it, good. Just don't kill me, o.k.? 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha characters, Rumiko Takahashi does. Lucky woman.

Kagome climbed the slimy stone wall and tried not to slip. Of course, beeing who she was, she did just that and fell straight into the slimy darkness. Twice.

"It wouldn't be so impossibly difficult, it he just came and helped me! But no, he has to be rude, inconsiderate jerk," she jabbered as she finally reached her destination. She rolled over the lip of the old magic well and with a quiet 'oof' she fell on the ground. "Oh, grass!" she said, as she tried to catch her breath. "Not cold, not dirty, not slippery… just fresh, green and clean…" Although she could rest at last, she wasn't comfortable at all. The old heavy backpack was still on her back, her hands and legs were dirty and her summer school uniform clung to her sweaty body. She almost started to cry. "Only ten minutes back in the Feudal Era and I already look like a shit!"

She gasped and cowered her mouth. _Now I really think I spend too much time with Inuyasha!_

She decided to shake her backpack off and take a short nap. At least until someone shows up and helps her. _The thing is really heavy this time._ She looked at her loyal companion and sighed. The old yellow backpack wasn't yellow anymore, it had couple of stitches here and there and it was twice bigger than at the beginning. It didn't look very nice, in fact, Inuyasha quite often stated that it was an eyesore and kept suggesting that they burn it. That was partially the reason she kept it, instead of buying a new one. The main reason was that it was there every time she needed it. _Unlike Inuyasha! Where is he?!_

"Kagome!"

Kagome stood up, big smile on her face. Just a few seconds later Inuyasha emerged from the forest together with Shippou, who was ballancing on his shoulder and trying not to fall down. „Kagome! You are here!" the kit cried happily and waved, immediately losing his balance. „Ouch!" he hissed while rubbing his 'wounded' backside.

"So you came to meet me?" the smiling girl said as she helped Shippou from the ground. Her smile vanished, when she saw a guilty expession on the kit's face. One look on Inuyasha's blush told her all she had to know. _They came to meet the backpack!_ She humphed, but started to search through her bag none the less. From the corner of her eye she could see Inuyasha's ears twitching. Shippou, who mysteriously appeared on her shoulder, tried to see what she brought him. "There it is!" Kagome said triumphantly, put out a little plastic bag with a sign that read 'Pet Dainties – New & Better!' and handed it to Inuyasha, who happily took a sniff at it. In an instatnt he teared through the wrapping and shoved some of the revealed content in his mouth.

"Hey! Me too! Me too!" Shippou whined. Inuyasha just humphed and turned his back on him. "Go find your own."

Kagome shortly contemplated sitting him, but decided against it, when Shippou jumped from her shoulder and landed on Inuyasha's back, grabbing fistful of his long silver hair. "Give it to me, you glutton!" the little fox screeched as loudly as he could and pulled the silver strands. "Ouch! Let go, you little brat!" Inuyasha growled and was quite surprised, when Shippou obeyed him. His annoyance, however, returned full force, when he felt tugging and learned that the kit hung on the bag, in a futile attempt to steal it. "You!" Inuyasha exclaimed and tried to shake him off.

The forgotten girl stood nearby and watched their childish quarrel, her eye twitching. "Stop it!" she commanded. The boys ceased their struggling and looked at her. Both seemed to be terrified.

Kagome sighed. _Here I am, 17 year old and already mothering two childern... _She sighed again.

"Shippou-chan, come here," she said.

Shippou came to her, but not before sending one accusing look to Inuyasha. He anticipated some kind of punishment and was very surprised, when he got his own pack of the delicious snack. He looked at it and then his face lighted up. "Thanks Kagome! You are the best in the world!"

Kagome just smiled and petted his head. Inuyasha sulked. "Feh, stop stalling you two!" he said, took her backpack and stepped out in the direction of the village. Kagome felt her anger rise. _Why that stupid, mean—_

Just then Inuyasha added quietly: "Everybody is waiting for you..."

The anger quickly wanished and was replaced by surrow. _Tomorrow is the D-Day. Inuyasha is going to make his wish._ Maybe it wasn't the best idea, but Kagome had decided to give Inuyasha this second chance. She was almost sure that he wouldn't wish to be turned to full-blooded demon. Inuyasha was strong enough the way as he was. But it'd never been about the power. He used to think that if he was a full-blooded demon, humans and demons alike would stop despising him. He'd thought he would finally belong somewhere. Now he knew better. He'd found friends, who would fight beside him, laugh with him and love him. It didn't matter to them, if he was or wasn't a half-breed. _But sometimes, just friends aren't enough. _She knew it far too well, the pain of not being loved the way she needed. She loved Inuyasha and although he loved her back, it just wasn't the right type of love. He'd never looked at her the way, he did at Kikyou – his first and probably last love.

Kikyou had fought with them against Naraku and she still lived. _That is, if you call walking around and feeding on the souls of other people living. _Kagome was deeply sorry for her incarnation. Her whole life and even now she always helped other people to find thier peace, even when she couldn't find her own. She gave up on her bitterness long time ago and admitted that she still had feelings for Inuyasha. Everyone thought they would be together at last. _Well, we were wrong._ Kikyou said that Inuyasha deserved someone better, someone who wasn't a living dead. Then she left.

Kagome rubbed her tempels. _Kikyou loves Inuyasha, but she left. She thinks she isn't good enough for him. Inuyasha loves Kikyou and wants to be with her. If Inuyasha wishes for her to come back to life, they can be together and live happily ever after._

This wasn't the reason for her surrow, though. It wouldnť be very pleasant to see the two together, but she knew she would manage somehow. After all, she was Kagome, the kind and forgiving priestess. No, the problem was something different.

After Inuyasha's wish, there was a fat chance that she would have to come back to her time without the possibility to return. She would be fored to live in the era, where honour didn't mean anything, where friendship was only a way how to use someone; live in a world without adventure, real love and freedom, where she was nothing but a girl suffering from all kind of diseases. What would her life be like? Finishing school, finding a job and a boyfriend – someone like Hojo, who would never really know her, then living from day to day, growing old and dying with the knowledge that her life had been wasted? She didn't think she would manage **that**.

Her musing was interrupted by a voice calling her name. "Kagome-chan!"

The surrow disappeared, when she saw her friends. Sango was waving at her and smiling, while Miroku paced after her, with his staff in his hand and a pleased expression on his red face.

_Red face..?_

When their favourite monk came closer, they could very clearly see the red handprint on his left cheek.

_He will never learn, will he?_

After a short welcome, the whole group took the trail for the village. Kagome decided to forget about tomorrow, at least for now._ Maybe I worry too much, there is still a chance that I will be able to stay. The fate surely wouldn't be so cruel to me. Not after the things I had to experience. _

_Yep._

Five hundert years in the future, one person knew better.

* * *

A/N: I'm not Kikyou hater. I don't see why everyone hates her! Then again, I have never hated any anime character. Maybe I used to dislike Sasuke (from Naruto), but it's O.K. now. Never mind. Sesshoumaru-sama in the next chapter. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I still don't own Inuyasha.

After a short refreshing bath (short, because she was alomost sure that Miroku would find a way how to sneak past Sango's guard, had he enough time) Kagome joined her friends in Kaede's hut. The old priestess had prepared lunch for them and they all hungrily dug in.

Everyone enjoyed themself and it was obvious that they just acomplished something increndible and were proud of it. They'd achieved their goal, found their revenge and c happy at last.

Sango was the first to break the silence. "I can't believe it's over," she said dreamily, her chopsticks only halfway to her mouth.

"Neither can I," Miroku responded, while inching closer to the slayer.

"Now I can finally return back to my village... I think I'll try to restore my clan," Sango continued.

The monk grinned at that. "I will gladly help you with that, my lovely Sango."

The group expected that the exterminator would scold him for being a pervert, but to their immense surprise, she only blushed a little. Kagome and Shippou stared wide-eyed at their older friend and even Miroku looked quite shocked, until a happy smile appeared on his face. The only unaffected person was Inuyasha, who loudly slurped his ramen noodles and didn't catch the hidden meaning in the conversation.

"I'll stay here with Kaede," Shippou declared, when he though that the silence lasted far too long. "I'm going to be a healer!" he said proudly and Kagome petted his head. _Much better than a forest robber! I'm glad he changed his mind... I guess I should thank Kaede for that._ The little fox had started to learn about herbs and their healing abilities not long ago and Kaede had often praised him and kept encouraging him. It seemed that being a healer topped his last dream – to be like Robin Hood. _Reading that book was a __**very**__ bad idea!_

"What about you, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked curiously.

Inuyasha, who just finished his noodles, only 'fehed'. Obviously, he didn't have a clue what to do now when Naraku died and most demons retreated, fearing they would become Inuyasha's next target.

"I'm sure, you will find something to do," Kagome whispered sadly. Her friends didn't understand her change of moods until they saw that she wasn't paying attention to them, but to the shiny Shikon no Tama, which was now complete and currently laying peacefully on her small palm. It took only a few seconds and everyone was overwhelmed by depression. They didn't want to lose her, but there wasn't anything they could do about it.

When Kagome noticed their sudden quietness, she forced a smile on her face. "Oh, come on! Do you think I actually enjoy running back and forth between two time periods, failing the horrible math exams, fighting demons and risking my life?! Hell no! I have fulfilled my responsibility and now I'm going to relax!" It wasn't a truth at all. She knew it, her perceptive friends knew it... Even Inuyasha knew it!

_Ok, do something!__ Do something or else you'll cry and they will know just __**how**__ bad it really is! _Her gaze fell on her ever present backpack. She gasped. _Yes!_ "I almost forgot I have presents for you!"

Half an hour later, all of her friends were content. Sango was very happy when she got several tubes of paste, used on sore muscles and bruisers, and was quite appaled when she saw her second gift – three sport bras. Miroku, on the other hand, thought they would look really nice on her and said that she should show herself in it – just to see if it's the right size. Sango got angry, of course, and knocked the monk out.

Said monk got couple of philosophical books, which he enjoyed until he angered Sango. Now they laid scattered on the floor near his unconscious body.

Shippou was supplied with crayons for at least four years and Inuyasha with so much ramen that it would sate a whole village.

Kaede was given a first aid equipment and a herbarium.

After she gave them their presents, kagome learned that her backpack much lighter and almost empty. In fact, there were only three more presents left. Sango peeped over her shoulder and gasped. Kagome looked at her and tried to tell her to be quiet and not to alarm Inuyasha.

"Would you like to take a walk, Kagome-chan?" the young exterminator asked. Kagome took a look at her remaining friends just to see them all occupied with enjoying their gifts, or being unconscious. She nodded, grabbed the backpack and followed Sango out of the hut. They withdrew a bit and sat in the grass near the rise fields.

"Kagome-chan," Sango began seriousy.

"I know, I know!" hurried Kagome. "But he saved my life! And Rin-chan is such a adorable child!"

"Kagome-chan," said the older girl again, "Sesshoumaru will never accept a gift from someone who is – according to his opinion – below him."

"But he will, Sango-chan, trust me," held Kagome her own. "He helped us defeat Naraku! He can't ba so bad, can he?"

Sango wasn't convinced. "Don't hope for it too much," she sighed. "You will be only disappointed."

"It's gonna be alright, just wait and see," smiled Kagome confidently. Then she looked round and when she didn't see Inuyasha, she decided to ask Sango the lord's whereabouts. She knew that he was somewhere close, because during the last two days Rin often showed up and played with her and Shippou. Sometimes she had Jaken with her, but most of the time, she was alone_. And Sesshoumaru wouldn't let her go unprotected if it was too far, would he? Then again, maybe he hoped that she would get lost, so he wouldn't have to take care of her anymore... Such an ugly thought! He isn't that evil! Evil enough to send the hyperactive child to me and have some time for himself, but not enough to leave her._

"Ehm," Kagome remembered she wanted to ask Sango a question.

"He's somewhere near the clearing, behind the well," the exterminator said. She knew her younger friend very well and it wasn't so hard for her to guess what she was thinking about.

"Thanks!" Kagome cried happily and hit for the place where the lord and his companions should be staying. _Hurry Kagome! You must be done, before Inuyasha finds you and starts accusing you of something!_ She imagined Inuyasha standing between disinterested Sesshoumaru and her, waving with Tetsusaiga and shouting obscenities. She smiled. _I think I would sit him to the Hell. _

It didn't last long and she finally reached her destination. The first thing – or rather the first person she saw was, of course, the bored demon lord. He was sitting, leant againt a tree, and obiously thinking. His eyes were closed, but she was pretty sure he knew that she was there. There was no way he would miss her presence with the super-sensitive nose of his.

His companions, on the other hand, didn't notice her at all. Rin was few meters from her, howering over Jaken and beating the poor old demon with a stick. "Stop it, Rin, you insolent child! I'm telling you to stop!!!" He sounded really desperate and Kagome felt sorry for him. There was a persistent voice in her head that kept telling her it was her fault this happened to Jaken.

Rin stopped and looked down on her 'playmate'. "But Jaken-sama, Rin wants to play robber!"

_Oh..._

"I don't want to play with you! I have better things to do right now!"

"Like what, Jaken-sama?" she asked innocently. She seemed to be really interested.

"Like serving my noble Lord instead of taking care of you!"

Kagome contemplated greeting them, but she didn't know how to start.

"Priestess."

But it seemed that she wouldn't have to be the one making the first move. She looked at the demon lord. He was gazing back at her. She blushed, looked down and started to play with one strap of her backpack. _He waits for you to tell him why you're here! Talk! Just tell something, dammit!_ She opened her mouth. _Talk! __**Talk!**_ It was the most akward moment in her life. Never had she had any problems with talking, never! Quite the opposite – she had always talked too much for her own good. And now, she was standing here, opening and closing her mouth, looking like a fish, and blushing like a schoolgirl. How on earth should she start?!

"Eh... Hi."

That was perfect, Kagome, even if he didn't think you are stupid, he thinks it now.

"Hello, Kagome-chan!" came a salvation in the form of a hyperactive, super-cute girl. Kagome felt as if she just woke up. "Rin-chan! How are you? Where have you been yesterday? Shippou said you didn't come..."

"Rin was playing with Jaken-sama, because Sesshoumaru-sama didn't want Rin to be alone with Inuyasha-sama!" Rin answered honestly.

_That's right, I wasn't there. But Inuyasha wouldn't do anything! That sibling-rivality-thing of theirs is ridiculus_"Oh, I have something for you, Rin-chan!" she said and reached for something in her bag. "There she is!" She took out a porcelain doll with long black hair, dressed in tradicional kimono. Kagome had paid considerable amout of money for the doll – it was made only from natural materials.

Rin gasped in awe. When she had been younger, one girl from her village had had a doll, made from wood and straw. She had always wished for a toy like that, but now she had something much, much better – the doll had even beautiful shiny hair!

Kagome handed her the doll and Rin took it with such a care, one would think the toy was made of glass. "It is sooo beautiful!" Rin sighed, still in awe. "Can Rin really keep it?"

The young priestess nodded and watched the little girl, as she curiously examined her present. Then she again reached for something and took out an odd fluffy rag. "This is for you, Jaken," she said and handed it to him.

Jaken stared wide-eyed at her. "F-for me? A p-present?" he couldn't believe his eyes. When the young girl nodded, he reached for the curious rag with his shaking hand. "It's a special cloth, used for polishing of all sorts of wooden things. I thought you could use it on your staff," she told him. He looked the rag, then at her and then at the rag again. In the end, his face formed a rather scary expession, which was dominated by a very toad-like smile. Obviously, he wasn't used to smiling, which was sad, but understanable; the little demon had been following Sesshoumaru for who knows how many years!

_Which remionds me..._ She took a deep breath. _Two down, one left. _

Sesshoumaru was watching Rin, who was currently hugging her new toy. He didn't like it very much – it looked too much like princess Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother. On the other hand, it was almost better than the toys he used to have, and definetely better than the ones Inuyasha used to play with. Thus he decided Rin could keep it after all.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome tried to draw his attention to her, when she thought she was calm enough. However, when he looked at her with that icy gaze oh his, she almost decided to turn around and run. Only the few last weeks he was with them convinced her that he won't kill her, unless she gives him some valid reason. She took a final deep breath and came to him with a deep blue, folded cloth in her slightly shaking hand. "I-I thought—" She quieted down and in her mind she scolded heself. _How is it possible that when he tries to kill you, you are alright, and now, when you came to have a few words with him, you are all nervous?! Embarasing!_

Truth to tell, she had never really talked to him before. _Maybe I have a right to be a little nervous..? It's not like he's really paying attention to me anyway._ He was looking at something else so she he cleared her throat. "As I was saying, I thought you would need a new sash, because the old one had been ruined in the battle." Kagome gave it to him and he examined it, while she decided to continue. "It's definetely not as nice as—"

"I do not want it."

For a second she thought that she didn't hear right. "P-pardon me?"

"I do not repeat myself, priestess. I will not accept your gift," he said coldly and tried to hand it back to her. When she didn't reach her hand for it, he simply threw it away.

Kagome couldn't believe her eyes. "Why?"

The demon lord contemplated not answering her, but he felt gracious in the moment and decided otherwise. "This Sesshoumaru would have no use for it. It's required that the lords wear a formal attire of specific colours and desing," he explained and just when Kagome thought it coudn't be more humiliating, he added: "And being a lord, I cannot afford to be seen in such an inferior pruduct. Even if the material is a good-quality silk, the work is really horrible. I advice you to find the tailor who made it and claim a refund." Then he almost smiled. "I believe that the half-breed will help you."

When he finished, he closed his eyes and leant against the tree more comforably. The discussion was over.

Kagome bent down and picked the sash from off the ground. Her vision was blurry. "I guess I sould go back," she forced out of her suddenly tight troat. She slowly put the sash back into the bag, then she turned to Jaken and Rin, both of whom looked quite shocked. She quickly forced a cheery smile on her face. "Well, it seems I stayed here far too long. I have to go, before Inuyasha comes and throws a tantrum. I hope I'll see you yesterday! Bye bye!" she said and made bolt for it. Her eyes were stinging until she stopped and finally let the tears fall. She let escape one sob and it was soon followed by others.

She had never felt so humiliated in all her life.

After some time she heard a sound from near bushes. _Please, don't let it be Inuyasha!_ she thought as she searched for the one who caused the sound. The bushes shook a little bit and revealed the form of her dear friend.

"S-Sango-chan," she sobbed and tried to wipe the tears away from her red cheeks. Sango went down to the younger girl and embraced her. "What did I think, Sango-chan?"

The demon slayer sighed.

She knew it would end up like this.

* * *

A/N: Lame end, I know. Thanks for the nice reviews! If you still like it and want to read it, I must warn you beforehand: I won't update anytime soon, because I'm taking the school leaving exam this month and I think I should really start to study for it... I'm scared!!! panics and runs in circles 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own any other anime. Oh my, that suks!

Modern times...

Sesshoumaru looked at his watch and mentally slapped himself. The watch was very precise and looked good on his left wirst. It was one of the few human gadgets he was quite fond of. That's why he hated it so much. Wasn't he a demon? A demon lord at that? Yes, he was! He should know the time by instinct and not depend on that petty device!

But using said device was so damn quicker, not to mention easier, that he grew lazy. Lazy! He didn't bother to use his instincts; instead he looked at the watch every three minutes. In fact, he got used to it so much that when he accidentally forgot the watch at home, he felt like he lost an arm – again.

He hated it all. The watch. The lazy person he was forced to become. His new name, his new appearance and his job. He liked his house, but he couldn't stand his neighbours. And the noise. And the smell. Every twelve hours he had to take pills, which would dull his senses, so he could live normally and breathe without the fear of throwing up.

There were still places on the Earth, which weren't polluted. Sometimes he thought about visiting the Himalayas, or maybe some isles near Antarctica. He wouldn't mind the extremely low temperatures and would have some peace for a change. The other demon lords had already left Japan to find a serene place, where they could live and end their lives. He liked to fantasize about following their example, but as much as he wished to join them, he couldn't bring himself to leave. Not for too long. Japan was his home, his territory, his cradle and his coffin. It was **his**.

Some would say that he was like a captain, whose ship was lost at heavy sea without any hope of save return. _But is the safe return truly the thing I seek for?Nobody can turn back time, not even me, that I know... _

His musing was interrupted, when something light landed on his left shoulder. He snatched it and looked at it. There, in his long, slender fingers was a soft, warm and obviously panic-stricken ball of feathers. Its small black eyes looked at the demon with fright and received one of his infamous cold glares in return. The lord was quite displeased with this little interruption. And it happened every time he tried to think! It was like he was a mangnet for pathetic, defenceless creatures. _How foolish they are_, he thought angrily and squeezed the bird little harder and stilled it. _Every other creature knows better than to pester me. So what makes these small fools seek out my presence?_

He could feel and hear the bird's rapidly beating heart. _I can crash it. Then they will stop comming, start to fear for their lives. That's how it's supposed to be. _He squeezed the bird one last time and then he finally let it go. The poor disoriented creature hesistated only for a moment, then it hid under a near bush. It didn't fly away, though. Sesshoumaru felt its eyes on him and almost regretted not killing it.

He couldn't do that. Crash it, kill it. It seemed that Rin had had some influence on him after all. Now, instead of killing the pest like it deserved, the only thing he was capable of was scaring them and even that didn't last long. No matter how hard he tried, they always returned.

_They always come back._

It had been his curse so far, but now... Now it was also his hope.

o

The feudal era...

After several minutes of fruitless persuasion, Sango decided to start anew and this time more effectively. "You know, Kagome-chan, I think you should stop worrying about that. After all, Sesshoumaru has always been a spoiled little brat."

Kagome gasped and immediately stopped her sobbing. "Sango-chan! How can you say that?!"

Sango congratulated herself for her first small victory. Keep going! You can do this, Sango! she encouraged herself. "Alright, alright, I take it back. He is not little."

The younger girl covered her mouth and looked round the surroundings as if she expected Sesshoumaru to pop out from the bushes and then killing both of them for their insolence. The slayer chose to continue, this time more seriously. "Kagome-chan, do you remember how he used to fight with Inuyasha over Tetsusaiga? How he considered Tenseiga worthless?"

Kagome nodded.

"You see, Sesshoumaru is a fine warrior, he can be honourable and sometimes, **sometimes** even reasonable. But he has some bad traits too. In fact, he has many bad traits.." Sango paused and got lost in her own little world.

Kagome wasn't really comfortable with this. "Sango-chan? I still don't see your point."

That as enough to bring the older girl back from her daydreaming. "Oh, I am sorry, Kagome-chan. The point is: One of Lord Sesshoumaru's bad traits is that he has never been able to see the true value of things and persons. He tends to either overestimate them or – more often – underestimate them. He lost his arm because of this bad trait and still he didn't learn from it."

"So, basically," Kagome started carefully, "you are saying that the thing that's off isn't my present but Sesshoumaru's abitily to judge things?"

Sango nodded her head and Kagome smiled a little. Even though she still felt a little embarassed, Sango's words calmed her down. Sesshoumaru really coud be a spoiled brat from time to time. And when she remembered their first meeting, she had to add 'tricky'. To use a ghost with the face of Inuyasha's mother to get some answers from him was awful. Even though it was supposedly Jaken's idea. _Who cares?! He agreed to it, so he was an accomplice! Yeah!_ Suddenly, she wasn't sad at all. Instead she felt rather angry. _That jerk!_

The slayer felt the change in her friend and knew that she overdid it. _Maybe I should say somethig, before she bursts in Sesshoumaru's camp and tries to do something rash._ "Kagome-chan, you shouldn't waste your energy on him... He may be a spoiled brat sometimes, but don't forget he was brought up this way. It's not his fault. Not entirely, that is."

"I know..." Kagome sighed. "You are right, Sango-chan. I'm sorry."

"Don't be! Just forget the whole thing, alright?" She asked and hugged the priestess.

"Alright," Kagome responded quietly and rested her head on Sango's shoulder.

A rustle the from left alarmed them to another presence. There, just a few steps from them, stood Inuyasha with an unusually serious expression on his face. He sniffed the air twice, as though he wanted to make certain of something. Then he looked down at his friends.

"What did that bastard do?" he growled.

A sharp intake of breath was his only answer.

"What did he do?" he asked again, his patience thinning with every passed second.

Kagome didn't want to tell him anything. She knew him too well to answer his question truthfully. He would freak out. On the other hand, she was sure he would do that even if she didn't tell him anything. So she tried the only thing that seemed to be right at the moment. "Um... Who?"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, the act strangely reminding the girls of his older brother. His gaze shifted from Kagome to the way she came.

"N-no, Inuyasha," Kagome stammered and stood up. "Nothing happened, ok? Really! Nothing! See? I'm fine! Am I not fine, Sango-chan?" Sango quickly nodded. When he looked back at them, Kagome thought everything was alright again. This thought was a short lived one, because the next second he vanished from their view.

"Damn."

* * *

A/N: Took me long enough, huh? Sorry for that! At least I passed my exams! Yay! This chapter kinda short. Sorry for that, too! My brother keeps bothering me and even now he wants me to go. I don't have time to reread it, so if you find more errors than usually, it's his fault! His! 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, happy now?

Kagome stared at the place, where Inuyasha stood only a second ago. The only thing indicating he ever stood here were dry leaves, which had been blown into the air during his rush leave and were currently slowly spiraling back to the ground. _Oh. My. God. OH MY GOD! He is going to – oh no!_ She wanted to run after him, she really did, but it was as if her legs weighed two tons – each one! She couldn't move them no matter what.

A sharp whistle came from the left and Kagome turned her head in Sango's direction. The exterminator was watching the sky, two fingers still placed to her lips. She was obviously calling Kirara. "I hope she brings the monk. He may be perverted, but he knows how to handle Inuyasha at times like this," said Sango. Then she grabbed Kagome's forearm and darted in the direction of the demon lord's camp.

Halfway to their destination they both heard a sinister sound of an explosion. "Tell me," Kagome forced out from her lips between pants, "that he didn't use the Wind scar!"

Sango chose to stay silent. Of course he did it. After all, it was his style to burst on the battlefield, curse and send the Wind scar to all possible directions and only then start to ask questions. "If anything happens to Rin, I swear I will kill him with my own hands!" the priestess growled.

When they reached the clearing, Sesshoumaru and his followers were staying at, they couldn't believe their eyes. I seemed that Inuyasha gave to the word 'clearing' a whole new meaning. As far as they saw, there were uprooted trees, branches, piles of splinters and dirt, and in the middle of that all were three rather striking tracks. Inuyasha was in the place, where they started, Tetsusaiga ready in his hands, while his half-brother stood at their end. They couldn't see Rin or Jaken anywhere, so they assumed that Sesshoumaru sent them away, when this all started.

"I don't care! You made her cry, you bastard! I'm gonna beat you to a pulp and then make you apologize!" he shouted at the demon lord.

Sesshoumaru looked angry, but it couldn't be so bad, because he had yet to unseathe Tokijin. "I and your priestess were merely talking, what happened to her afterwards is not my business. Therefore, I have nothing to apologize for," he responded. In the next moment, a very specific spark appeared in his otherwise cold eyes. They all knew he was going to say something offensive. "Although, I must say I am quite surprised. Humans cower in fear before me, that is understanable, but that even your little priestess broke down after a mere talk... How disappointing."

Sango looked at her friend, who was currently starring wide-eyed at Sesshoumaru, and was going to calm her, when a quiet thump, indicating Kirara's landing, diverted her attention. "What happened here?" asked Miroku, while getting off Kirara.

"That's a long story," Sango answered. "The most important thing right now is to stop Inuyasha! Kagome-chan, we need you to-"

"Listen, buddy! What did you mean by that?!"

The exterminator gulped and very slowly turned to the place, where Kagome stood, just to learn that the one she was talking to was no longer there. Instead, she was standing beside very surprised Inuyasha and pointing her finger at the bored lord.

"K-Kagome? What are you doing here? Get lost! This is between him and me!" Inuyasha yelled at her.

Kagome only humphed and frowned at him. "Don't make me say the word, Inuyasha!" she threatened him. Judging by the way Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull it seemed that her threat worked out just fine.

"Although I hate to say it, I must agree with Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said unexpectedly. "It has nothing to do with you, priestess."

"Oh really? I beg to differ, _my lord_." Kagome spun round, her black hair flying in the air like waves of a heavy sea, her hands fisted. Inuyasha quickly took a few steps back. When he heard stamping, he spread his arms and stopped his friends, who wanted to help Kagome. Neither of them seemed to understand, why he did it. "It's too late," the half-breed told them gravely, "we can't help her now. She is in the 3M."

Sango gasped and Miroku nodded. When Kagome got in the Mega Mad Mode, there was no way back. They really couldn't do anything. The problem was, the one to make Kagome go ballistic had always been Inuyasha. Then they didn't have to do anything but wait, until she gives him ten, twenty sits and everything was back to normal. But nobody knew how would their dear friend react now, when the one who eangered her was Sesshoumaru. And – what was even worse – nobody knew how would react the demon lord! They could only keep telling themself that he couldn't kill her, because she had to guard the Shikon no Tama till the very end.

"You offend my honour and think that I will just stay here and listen?" continued Kagome, oblivious to her friends's anxiety.

"Humans have no honour, priestess," Sesshoumaru responded. Unlike Kagome, he noticed Inuyasha's retreat and finally grasped that his opponent was now the little human girl. "They are half-witted, pathetic creatures, without a hint of reason."

"Yeah, yeah. Pathetic. Sure. Weak, stupid, in short we are all beneath you. Do you ever, _ever_ listen to yourself? I mean, you are constantly repeating the same words! Do you really believe it, or are you only trying to annoy me? Are you truly so full of prejudice?"

"These are no prejudices, merely experiences."

"Experiences with whom? With people, who know your reputation and fear for their lives? The only human you have some true experiences with is Rin-chan! Do you think she is pathetic and half-witted?" Kagome dared to say. It was only because she was absolutley sure that Rin and Jaken wasn't there.

Sesshoumaru frowned. "I suggest you not to drag Rin into this," he said darkly and slowly reached for Tokijin.

Kagome didn't give to the sword any attention. Instead, she looked right in his golden orbs. _Weird_, she thought, _not even a hour ago I was all nervous and now..._ Now she was somehow pissed beyond belief. _First he humiliates me, then he offends me and my race and now he threatens me?! He is sooo going to eat it!_ "You like hurting people with words," she started venomusly, "but as soon as you run out of that acid remarks of yours, you draw your sword. You know, Sesshoumaru, where I come from, people call this a loss. If you aren't able to finish it properly, don't even start it!"

Sesshoumaru contemplated what to do. Should he leave? Or should he stay and shred that little, insolent mortal in pieces so small that even the miraculous Tenseiga wouldn't be able save her? Both possibilities were appealing. On the other side... The priestess challenged him to a fight – truly childish fight, but fight none the less. Refusing the challenge meant that he lost. His reason told him to let it go, leave, find Jaken and Rin and spent the rest of the evening in peace. The much, much bigger part of his personality, namely his ego, kept yelling at him to stay and fight. After all, defeating the girl with her own weapon should open her eyes and put her back to her place. _Yes._ He let go of Tokijin's hilt.

"A verbal conflict, the most pitiful way of fight. How befitting you."

"Oh, I may be pitiful, but at least I'm not a pompous ass without manners!"

"I do not want to hear that from someone, who is running around in such indecent clothes."

"These indecent clothes are my uniform! We have to wear it at school! I thought _you_ of all people would understand, because you are the _lord_ and it's required from you to wear_ a formal attire of specific colours and desing!_"

_What kind of school would require from its students to wear such a thing?_ He smirked. "Does it mean that where you come from are actually schools, which teach the 'art' of prostitution?"

Kagome gasped and immediately started to shake with anger. "You..." she growled. "What did you just say?"

"I said what I think, priestess. You look like a whore," he said every word separately, just to piss her off.

If someone thought that the 3M was the worse state of Kagome's anger, now he had to admit that heď been terribly wrong. It seemed like she was about to explode. That was partily caused by the flame of pink holy energy, which was dancing around her. _Whore? Whore?! Whore?!!!_

_She almost looks scary,_ he thought, _almost._

"You know what, Sesshoumaru?" She didn't wait for his answer, it was a trick question, anyway. "Look at yourself and _then_ say something! From the very first moment I saw you, standing on the devil-like thing, I had to think: 'Oh my God! What's wrong with this man?!' I mean, look at the boa! It's so fluffy and huge! When I look at you from the left, I can't even see your head!! You look like a walking fluff! And you drag it behind you, too! We must constantly watch Kirara, because she wants to play with it! And one more thing – with that _pink_ markings _you look like a gay_!!! Are you one, Sesshoumaru? Are you? Because I can't tell!"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. Inuyasha turned round and tried to muffle his laugher. He wasnť very successful; you could tell by those weird whooping sounds he made.

"My… sexual orientation is none of your business," he hissed and sent a resentful look to Inuyasha, who lost his battle and was now openly laughing. „But I have to wonder, what must be the other side of the well like, given that it could produce something as foul as you."

"Oh yes, my home on the other side of the well," Kagome began, somewhat calmer when she saw that she finally managed to anger her ever so collected opponent. "It's a really, really horrible place. I can't even imagine you living there. If you want to win an argument, you mustn't kill. If you want to gain power, you have to learn how to cooperate with people, how to manipulate them. Physical power means nothing, in fact only the worst kind of people use violence to have their way. What would you do in there, indeed..?"

"What exactly are you implying, girl?" Sesshoumaru asked, this time perfectly positive that he was _not_ going to like the answer.

Kagome didn't answer him and looked at the suddenly so interesting ground. She wasn't sure if she should continue, or not. Childish quarrel was one thing, _this_ was something completely different. She winced, when she heard the demon's voice much nearer than she expected. He stood right in front of her. "Tell me. Or are you going to give up?"

_No, I'm not gonna give up, not just yet._ She took one deep breath and redirected her gaze back to his eyes. "Do you know the limit of your power, Sesshoumaru?"

Inuyasha immediately stopped laughing. "Oh shit, she hit the nerve," he whispered

"What did you mean by that, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked quietly.

"You'll see," Inuyasha promised and tried to find out, how was his brother feeling now, when Kagome tapped the only thing he'd ever had doubts about.

"My power knows no limits, girl," Sesshoumaru responded at last.

"You don't know then," the priestess continued. She had to finish it, although she didn't really want to. Sesshoumaru looked scary, too scary. "To know your limit is not a sign of weakness. As long as you know your limits, you can always get better. The power you gain while pushing your limit up is then considered to be your own."

Sango and Miroku finally understood, what Inuyasha meant. And they wished Kagome hadn't had said that. It wasn't very wise to question the demon lord's abilities.

"Are you implying that my power is not my own?" Sesshoumaru asked slowly.

_He is looking at me in the same way he did at that time in the tomb of his and Inuyasha's father, when I managed to pull out the Tetsusaiga. He felt so insulted, then, that he tried to kill me... Is is possible that the things I just said were true? Maybe it's time to call it a day..._ But she couldn't stop now. "Yes," she said firmly. "I think you are so strong, only because you had strong parents and you inherited it." _Finish it! Finish it!_ "And I also think that you should stop calling people weak and pathetic, because the only thing that is pathetic, is your constant priding yourself on something, which isn't even yours."

_That's it_, she thought and closed her eyes in anticipation of killing blow. Instead of that she got an answer.

"You are weak and pathetic."

"Huh?" She opened her eyes.

"I do not think so because of your origins, or because of the amount of your power. No, it is because of the reason, why you wanted to get stronger in the first place," he said and smiled a little.

Kagome started to panic. Sesshoumaru smiling – that meant he was about to say or do something very displeasing. Displeasing, as for her; she was sure he was going to enjoy it. "Why did I wanted to get stronger? Because I wanted us to found the shards--"

"Kikyou."

Kagome winced.

"You do not like to be called by that name, do you?"

"You don't know, what you're talking about."

"What is worse? To pride myself on power that isn't my own, or to exert yourself to get stronger, because you naively believe that if you are stronger than her, people will stop seeing her and start to see you? Do you think this is the way, how to get in his heart?"

"You don't know, what you're talking about!"

"I know it very well. Or did you really think that I would miss something as obvious as your desire to surpass the dead priestess? Do you think I do not see, how you look at my brother and hope that he forgets about her and chooses you? You might seem to be kind and generous, but on the inside, you are as greedy as other humans." He bent down so he was almost touching her ear-lobe and whispered: "Do you know, why she is better than you? It has nothing to do with power, nothing to do with appearance. It is caused by your approach to things and your way of thinking." He smiled again. "So immature. You will always be a child. And a man needs a woman, Ka-go-me."

He rose up and looked at her already tear-stained face.

The heavy silence was torn by a loud slapping sound.

Sesshoumaru brought his hand to his face and then looked at his blood-stained fingers. It seemed that the priestess used the holy energy to strenghten her blow and now he had not only two, but six stripes on his cheek. With one cold glare he dared Kagome to go on, but she only bent her head and started to sob.

"Weak and pathetic," he said one more time and then looked at wide-eyed Inuyasha. "It seems I won this battle," he announced to him and his friends. Afterwards he turned around and disappeared on the other side of the clearing, amongst the fallen trees.

_I won_, he repeated to himself. _The girl lost._

_I won. __Then why do I feel so bad?  
_

* * *

_A/N: _What a bad day for Kagome! I really start to feel bad for her. I'm sorry I didn't update sooner, but this moth is just disaster after disaster. I don't even want to talk about it. T-T But I must say, there was one thing that cheered me up: Linkin Park in Prague!!! Never mind. I will try to update soon. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I still don't own Inuyasha.

Jaken opened his eyes. Or at least he thought he did. He couldn't tell, because the only thing he could actually see was an eerie white light.

Tears found a way in his big yellow eyes.

_Sesshoumaru-sama killed me? Why? Oh why? I was his most loyal and most dutiful servant, wasn't I? What did I do to deserve this?!_

His mind was blank for a moment. Then he saw a picture of the young priestess before his eyes. He remembered her giving them presents and also his lord refusing her gift. At last he recalled, why Sesshoumaru-sama killed him...

_Jaken watched his lord for a while now. __The priestess had been on the verge of crying, when she left them. He tried to figure whether the demon lord had noticed it or not. It seemed he hadn't. Poor girl._

"_Jaken, tell me what makes you think you can stare at me like this? Tell me one satisfactory reason, or face the consequences."_

_The toad winced and immediately fell down on his knees. "My lord, please, forgive your humble servant, but..."_

"_But?" Sesshoumaru asked and the little demon could hear the hidden warning in it._

"_But... don't you," he swallowed, "don't you think that you behaved a little bit," he tried to swallow again, only this time it was much more difficult because of the lump in his throat, "inappropriately?"_

"_Inappropriately?" Actually, it wasn't a question._

"_Very... inappropriately?" Jaken added and waited for the impact of Tokijin, the acid whip or a rock, simply for an impact of something that would end his babbling once and for all. _

"_What exactly do you mean by that?" his lord asked in a manner so dangerous that the poor little demon covered his head in fear and couldn't muster the courage to proceed. Seriously, who whould think that his lord would have so very few experiences with women? It's true that he usually only gave them several simple commands and afterwards kicked them out of his bedroom. The only two women he actually sometimes conversed with were his mother and the wind witch Kagura. And they both could be very bitchy._

_But could he tell all this to his lord? He couldn't. He had to tell him something, though._

_He opened his big mouth, but the only thing that came out was something that suspiciously reminded him of a croak. His lord started to lose his patience. The end was near. Oh, how he wished for a miracle!_

"_I think that Sesshoumaru-sama hurt Kagome-chan, when he said these ugly things about her present," came a sweet voice of his guarding angel. "I would be very, very sad," she explained and squeezed her new doll. _

"_Rin, the priestess is much older than you. She accepted my arguments and left," the demon lord objected._

"_S-Sesshoumaru-sama, if I may s-say something..." Jaken stammered, when he finally found the courage. "I know that a demoness would find your arguments true and valid, but a human, especially a human woman is a completely different matter. Humans give presents as tokens of their respect and gratitude. Rejection of the present humiliates them beyond words."_

_Sesshoumaru didn't even blink. It seemed that it didn't matter to him, whether he'd hurt the priestess or not. At least, till his gaze fell on Rin, whose eyes were full of unshed tears. That made him unconfortable. "Rin, cease this foolishness at once," he ordered her._

"_Sesshoumaru-sama humiliated Kagome-chan?" she asked. Her picture of the perfect and noble Sesshoumaru-sama had been marred by small cracks. "Kagome-chan will not want to see me anymore and because of that I won't be able to play with Shippou!"_

_Jaken saw, how his lord winced, when he got view of his little ward crying. She looked like a defenceless lamb, who just found out that it lived together with a wolf that had already devoured it's siblings._

"_Rin, the priestess does not hold any negative feelings towards you," the demon lord tried to calm her. _

_It didn't work._

"_There won't be anybody, who whould want to play with me," she said quietly and hugged her doll._

_Sesshoumaru didn't know what to do. He thought it over and then turned sharply at his servant, who was still nearly lying on the ground. "Jaken."_

_The little demon felt a weird crawling sensation, sppreading through his body. Did that mean he was going to die? "Yes, m-m-my l-lord?" he asked and mentally bid farewell to the world. He was going to die, he could see it so clearly! _

"_If you are such an exper in the field of human habits and traditions, tell me, wthat exactly should I do now?"_

_He wasn't prepared for that. His lord was actualy asking him what to do? Totally unexpected. Could he really answer his question? It would be wise to just shut up and be glad that he managed to survive for so long. However, even the little toad-like demon had his honour and couldn't run away. And he owed it to the young priestess. She'd been the only one, who had had enough mercy to save him from the evil little things called childern. _

"_M-m-my l-l-l-lord, there is b-but one t-thing y-y-you can d-do," he stuttered. "Y-y-y-you c-c-can a-a-ap-apo—"_

_And in that exact moment his staff disappeared from under his hands and was used to send him flying into stratosphere. The last thing he heard was a startled 'Jaken-samaaaaa!' and then everything went black. _

Jaken sighed.

_So this is my end? Killed by my own weapon? Woe is me! After all these years killed on whim! Who is going to take care of Rin from now on? Who is going to wash and mend my lord's clothes? To keep his house? To look after him?_

"Jaken."

The demon stiffened. He knew that voice. _Is it possible?_

"Get up," the voice ordered him coldly.

When he didn't react, he was kicked in his hip. The force of the kick made him roll over and open his eyes, this time for real. The white light was gone. Instead of it he saw the ground, his little hands that were touching the ground and a pair of black shoes, standing just a metre from him, ready to strike again, should he choose to rest a little longer. He immediately stood up and looked around. This part of the Forest of Inuyasha was quite far from the clearing. It seemed that his lord had been really angry, when he had made him fly such a distance.

_Oh well, his mood should be better now.  
_

One look at the demon lord made him rethink it. Not only was his lord angry, he seemed to be also feeling very uncomfortable. And he was hurt, too!

_What exactly happened while I was out? And where is Rin?!_

Sesshoumaru asked himself the same question. As soon as he had got rid of Jaken, he had felt his brother nearing rapidly. It'd been obvious that the stupid mutt wanted to avenge his little priestess (but it hadn't been his fault, that girl had always been emotionally unstable). The clearing hadn't been safe anymore. That's why he had sent Rin to find Jaken.

But she wasn't there and he couldn't even smell her. He set forth in the direction of the devastated clearing. There was a possibility of meeting his brother, or worse – the priestess, but he had to find his ward and therefore start to look in the place he had last seen her.

Jaken followed him, but soon started to fall behind. "Wait for me, Sesshoumaru-sama!" he croaked. Then he hit something hard and fell. _What the..?_ His lord stood right before him. _He actually stopped? That would the first time ever!_

It wasn't because of him, though. The reason, why Seshoumaru stopped, was the little girl, who had appeared in front of them. She was hugging her doll and looking down on her bare feet.

"Rin," the demon lord said.

The girl cast-up her eyes. They were red from crying. "I couldn't find Jaken-sama and came back..." she explained quietly and hung her head. She looked ashamed. "Does Sesshoumaru-sama think that I am pathetic and half-witted?" she asked sadly.

Sesshoumaru stiffened. It wasn't possible. She hadn't been there. He would know, if she had. Or would he? Too many thoughts were crossing his mind at the same time, but one owershadowed them all: He couldn't bear anymore tears. At first the priestess, now Rin. He hated it, he had always hated it. It made him feel bad.

No, he couldn't take it anymore. He turned away from the sobbing girl and left his followers behind.

In other words: he ran away.

* * *

A/N: Rin actually talks like that, but... it sounds so weird! So weird! Oh, I'm sorry if I offended Sesshoumaru's mom. And I'm gonna sleep now. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I'd like to, but I don't.

Kagome couldn't stop shaking. Her friends looked at her, their eyes bright with concern. They didn't exactly know what to do. To leave her and give her time to deal with it wasn't an option, she obviously needed their support, yet none of them knew how to approach her. They had never, _never_ seen her so agitated before. She had always been friendly and cheerful (except for the moments, when Inuyasha had made her angry) and right now she looked like a wreck.

In the end, it was the half-demon, who made the first step. He turned on his I-don't-care expression and 'fehed'. "Such a crap! Who cares what the bastard thinks?! What could he know?! Nothing!"

Kagome didn't respond, but Inuyasha wasn't one to give up. Not just yet. "He just wanted to get back at you, because you found his weak spot!"

The priestess finally stood up and looked at him, her eyes red and puffy. She still seemed to be rather distressed, but at least, she wasn't crying anymore. "He found mine," she said quietly.

"Are you nuts?!" Inuyasha barked at her and she winced. "It was only crap he made up in that fucking silver head of his! You made him feel embarrassed and _dammit, wench, are you even listening to me?!!_"

"He knew... How could he know? Had I been _that_ obvious?" she asked herself and nervously bit her lip.

"What are you talking about?!" Inuyasha asked roughly, though he didn't want to know. It obviously concerned him, Kagome and Kikyou. Bad combination.

"What he said was true," Kagome answered sadly. "Not everything, but most of it... I really did love you, Inuyasha. And I wanted you to love me back so much that it hurt," she confessed.

Inuyasha looked down at his bare feet. He didn't want to see the pain in her eyes.

"But the one you wanted to be with wasn't me. It was Kikyou, always Kikyou. And – I don't know how it occurred to me, but I really thought that if I could improve my abilities, you would start to like me... Sesshoumaru was right, it was partly the reason why I tried so hard." She sighed and run her hand over her face. "I truly am a hypocrite."

Sango braced herself. It was time to intervene. "You are no hypocrite, Kagome-chan!" she said sternly. "How could you even say such a thing? You from all people!" The priestess cast a timid look at her and she had to wonder what had happened to the self-confident, cheerful girl that she had come to know and love. "Kagome-chan," she said softly, crossed the distance between them and then hugged her younger friend. "You've sacrificed so much, helped so many people. You did that because you have a pure heart. If not, you would never be able to purificate the Shikon no Tama."

Kagome laid her chin on the exterminator's shoulder and sighed. She felt far better, however...

"A pure heart, huh?"

Sango mentally winced. "You know, in my head it didn't sound so lame."

The priestess smiled a little and yawned. "I'm so tired..."

"No wonder. It was a long day, after all," Sango explained. "I think," she begun and released her friend, "that we should relax. For a change."

Kagome's face lit up. "Relax... Sounds great," she agreed and let the exterminator drag her away from the saddened half-demon and the unusualy quiet monk.

Said monk smiled. "It was a good fight, don't you think, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha gave him a depressed look. It didn't seem like he was able to respond right now and therefore Miroku went on. "Anger, insults, blood and tears... But you can't say it wasn't interesting. And who would guess that our cold and haughty Sesshoumaru-sama knew all those things about Kagome-sama? He gave her more attention than you would think, didn't he? Then again, no wonder. She has the face of an angel, a perfect figure—"

The half-demon finally snapped out of it and hurried to make the damned lecher shut up, before he could say something perverted. One well-aimed strike and the problem was solved.

Oh, how he enjoyed living in an era, where the violent way of solving problems was allowed and encouraged!

* * *

Sesshoumaru was still rather edgy. He had been roving through the Forest of Inuyasha for a while now, hoping for an encounter with something, _anything_ he could tear into shreds. Too bad that everything in a radius of ten kilometers had felt it and had hurried to hide from his anger. A wise decision, which had saved many lives, but upset the lord even further.

In his desperate urge to find some kind of distraction he raised his head and took a deep breath, tasting the warm air. Being a dog demon, and a strong one, he smelled a lot of things. Unfortunately, none of them was interesting enough to be deemed worthy of his attention.

Well, maybe except one.

_S__team?_ Obviously, there were hotsprings near there. _That will have to do._ He had always liked soaking in hot water. It was relaxing. And he could use a bath, anyway...

Not wanting to lose his precious time, he set out for the hot springs. The sun was setting at the moment and it was already pretty dark in the forest, so he wasn't afraid of any unwanted interruptions. Besides, he was the infamous Lord of the Western Lands, he wasn't afraid of anything. When he finally reached his destination, he let out a quiet snort. The hot springs were small. Much, much smaller than his. Though he had to admit that they weren't _that_ bad. At least there were boulders in there, providing sufficient privacy. And they smelled nice.

Checking his surroundings for the last time, the demon lord slowly took off his mokomoko-sama. The fur was soon followed by his armor, swords and neatly folded clothes. Then he picked up his 'provisory' sash, which was almost as ugly as the girl's, and tied up his long silver hair, so it wouldn't get wet. It wasn't a simple task, considering that he could use only one hand. He mentally cursed his stupid half-brother for cutting off his arm. Then he cursed himself for being so careless and giving him the oportunity to do that.

He sat down in the hot water and leant against a slightly colder boulder, almost letting out an exhausted sigh. He had had a really long and draining day. And it had begun so well! In the morning he had a lot of time for himself. Rin had been playing with Jaken, thus he hadn't had to worry about her spending time near his ill-behaved half-brother. Even Kagura had stopped bothering him and instead had chosen to annoy the neurotic wolf demon. Then SHE had had to show up and ruin it all. First the crappy piece of work, which she had the audacity to call a sash. He would never wear such a cheep and ugly thing. Then Jaken's foolish suggestion. Apologize to the priestess? Ridiculous. Inuyasha, shouting harsh words and poiting their father's fang at him had been just enough to piss him off. His peaceful day had been destroyed by a bunch of incompetent fools, but it hadn't stopped here. No. SHE had jumped out of nowhere and had started that stupid fight and then, when he had won said fight, Rin had showed up and looked at him with _those_ eyes.

Sesshoumaru finally sighed. He couldn't stand that look. He just couldn't. Crying females were something that always made him feel very uncomfortable. Maybe he inherited it from his father. _And the priestess cried, too._ He mentally humphed. _Serves her right. For all the things she dared to say about this Sesshoumaru. Such lies..._

The scratches on his cheek finally began to heal. He looked down and for a moment studied his features, reflected in the water mirror. Maybe, just maybe he looked a little femine. Alright, he was the striking image of his mother. Especially with his hair up like that. He growled and yanked the sash out of his hair. _However, this Sesshoumaru most certainly does _not_ look like a gay._

He closed his eyes and sank under water. _That priestess... To come with such a ridiculous lie just to annoy me... Surely, she had to be desperate._ Lying on the ground of the hot springs, he smirked to himself. The smirk, however, was soon replaced by a frown. _She _did_ lie, did she not?_ Suddenly, he wasn't so sure with himself. _Her other argumets had been rather valid._

He slowly emerged from water, but stayed immersed deep in his thoughts. _A gay? Is this really what—_

"—he thinks about me? A whore?"

The demon's eyes widened in surprise. _Impossible!_ He stayed still and listened, the sound of two female voices finally reaching his ears. They are right here! he thought and immediately chastised himself for letting his guard down. He had to disappear, and quickly.

Before he could grab his clothes and run for it, he got a view of a pink, shimmering barrier, which, much to his dismay, blocked his way. And his things were on the other side, too!

"I knew that the Shikon would be useful!" came triumphal voice of the priestess. "I wonder if Naraku used it like this?"

"I don't think so, Kagome-chan," the exterminator said.

Sesshoumaru stilled and hoped that they would hurry. _This day is a disaster_, he thought as his sensitive hearing picked up rustling of clothes and splashing of water.

"And you didn't answer me, what did you think when you saw me for the first time?" the priestess asked.

"Well..." The exterminator didn't seem to like the question. "I didn't think that you looked like a whore..."

"But?"

"But... I thought... that you were some kind of freak."

Sesshoumaru smirked.

"Sango-chan!"

"What? Your clothes were weird and you were following a half-demon!"

"Oh my god! Does it mean that everybody else thinks so, too?!"

_Most probably._

"Maybe not. I wasn't in the best shape back then and Sesshoumaru... well, let's say that his view of the world is slightly twisted and his opinion doesn't count."

They both started to laugh, while Sesshoumaru silently fumed.

"But I must say I was very surprised," the exterminator said, when they finally stopped laughing. "I have never seen you so angered for a while now. It kind of reminded me of your quarrels with Inuyasha, when you... still... " There she paused. "Oh. My. God."

Sesshoumaru didn't understand why, but the older girl seemed to be shoked. He liked it much better than her amusement.

The priestess sighed. "Yeah," she said quietly, "I think I maybe liked him."

_What?!_

"What?!"

"Hey! Don't 'what' me! He's really hot, you know?!" she barked. "Besides, it doesn't matter anymore. I hate him now! I will never forgive him for all the things he said! Not even if he brought me flowers!"

Sesshoumaru snorted. _I don't need your forgivness, wench!_

"Saying those things about my sash?! Unforgivable! I know it looks kinda shabby, but I had been working on it for two days! Because of it I missed The Muppet Show! Souta saw it and said that it had been pretty cool" the priestess went on. She was unstoppable. The exterminator could only nod.

The demon lord was deep in thought. _She did it? That explains a lot. Her overstated reaction, for instance. But I still wouldn't wear it._

"—damn that needle to Hell! It still stings!" Sesshoumaru could hear her growling. Then he felt a sudden shift in her mood. "Sango-chan?" she asked mischievously.

"What is it, Kagome-chan?" The exterminator sounded curious.

"Let's burn it."

Both girls snickered and Sesshoumaru almost pouted. _They cannot burn it, it is mine!_

"That would be an appropriate ending," the older girl said, amusement still detectable in her voice. "But I think you should just give it to someone back in the village," she suggested.

"You are right, Sango-chan! I bet there is someone there, who will appreciate it. Not like that damn, arrogant—"

"Kagome-chan! I think it's time to let it go!"

The priestess pouted. "I know," she admited. "But I can't! He really pissed me off! And you know how long it usually takes for me to calm down!"

"And you believe that calling him names will help?" Sango asked.

_At least one of the women is reasonable. _

The younger girl took a moment to think it through. Then she nodded. "Yeah."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

_This Sesshoumaru takes it back. They both are immature._

A splashing of water indicated that the priestess stood up. Then she took a deep breathe and started to yell. "YOU DAMN, ARROGANT, HAUGHTY, STUPID, GAY, RUDE SON OF A – _**OUCH!!!**_"

Now, he considered himself a calm and collected person. But even he couldn't be collected enough to ignore the ill-bred girl's words. And so, he picked up a little sharp rock, aimed and shot the priestess in her nude buttock; then he watched as she yelped and started to panic. It was an amusing sight, not to mention slightly arousing. He knew he should look away, but he didn't. After all, he was no gay.

"What happened?" the exterminator aked, alarmed.

The priestess rubbed her stinging backside. "Something bit me!"

"What?" The older girl stood up and looked round. Sesshoumaru hid behind his boulder, fully convinced that he had given away his location. He couldn't believe the exterminator's next words. "I don't see anything suspicious. Maybe you just imagined it?"

"Imagined my ass! My ass! Ouch, it hurts! Let's get outta here!"

While the two girls were preparing themselfs to leave, Sesshoumaru smirked. _The priestess of Shikon no Tama. The legendary demon exterminator. Neigher of them registred presence of a demon lord, sitting only two metrers from them._ He shaked his silver head. _Unbelievable._

As soon as the barrier dissolved and the girls left, Sesshoumaru began to dress. His mood was a little bit better. The display of childishness proved to be rather amusing. Sure, there had been moments, when he had to strain himself to not kill them, but most of the time he had enjoyed himself.

_So the priestess was attracted to me_, he thought, _foolish girl._ He bound Tokijin and Tenseiga to his hip, still replaying the girl's words in his head. _"I will never forgive him for all the things he said!" Like this Sesshoumaru wants your forgivness. "Not even if he brought me flowers!" What does it mean, anyway? Why are human females so obsessed with them?_ He looked down and picked one of those yellow flowers that Rin liked so much. He didn't see anything special.

"Tch. Human females."

* * *

Rin sneezed.

Jaken woke up and frantically looked round. When he didn't see anything suspicious, he let out a sigh of relief and cast his big yellow eyes on the little girl, sitting curled on the opposite side of their camp. She still appeared to be unhappy, but from different reason than before. She feared for her lord and blamed herself for his rash leaving. It had been her fault. Now he was gone and she didn't know if he would ever want to see her again.

"Rin, how come you are not sleeping? Sesshoumaru-sama will be displeased with you, when he finds out that you are still up!"

The girl started to sob, but Jaken didn't seem to notice. Instead, he continued his brabble. "Don't you remember how angry he was, when you disobeyed him just a few hours ago? Do you want to make it worse?"

Rin glanced up and then looked somwhere behind his shoulder, surprised expression on her young face. Jaken swallowed and said a quick prayer. Five seconds later he landed in a thorny bush, far from the camp.

"Jaken-sama!" Rin got up, intending to help him, but was soon stopped.

"Rin."

The little girl slowly turned round, but didn't muster enough courage to look at her beloved Sesshoumaru-sama; she felt too guilty to do that. As he approached, she started to be increasingly more nervous, and when he stretched out his hand to her, she closed her eyes and winced, expecting some kind of physical punishment. After all, Jaken-sama got beaten all the time.

"Rin, open your eyes," Sesshoumaru ordered and she obeyed.

Right before her eyes was her lord's hand and in it small yellow flower. She gasped as he handed it to her. Only then did she look up, her face was tear-stained, but bearing a wide radiant smile.

The demon lord's eyes slightly softened, as he watched his little ward cuddle the seemingly insignificant present.

_Human females...  
_

* * *

_A/N: _One month without internet. Somehow I survived. If you want to kill meyou can try, but you will never find me! I'm better at hiding then Naraku! Ku, ku, ku, ku! 


End file.
